The international law firm Clifford Chance advised Azelis S.A. and its shareholder, the international private equity company 3i, on the acquisition of the S&D Group Limited, London. The transaction will take place subject to the approval of antitrust authorities.

Shearman & Sterling is representing Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, in its definitive agreement to acquire Athena Diagnostics, an esoteric laboratory specializing in genetic testing for neurological disorders, from Thermo Fisher Scientific for $740 million in cash. The transaction is expected to be completed early in the second quarter of 2011 following the satisfaction of customary conditions.

Davis Polk advised Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as dealer managers on a cash tender offer by Honeywell International Inc. for up to $400 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.625% notes due 2012.

Hogan Lovells is advising News Corporation on the proposed acquisition of Shine Group, the international television production group. News Corporation has announced its intent to acquire Shine Group Limited for an enterprise value of £415 million ($673 million). The parties will now proceed with the regulatory filings required for the transaction, while continuing to negotiate the final terms of a definitive agreement. “We are very pleased to be advising News Corporation on this acquisition,” said Stephen H. Kay, Managing Partner of Hogan Lovells’ Los Angeles office. “We have assisted News Corporation with previous strategic transactions and are excited to have the opportunity to do so again.”

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in association with LVN & Associates (LVN) has advised Thang Long Thermoelectric JSC (Thang Long) as investor and sole developer on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract worth US$645 million with Wuhan Kaidi Electric Power Co., Ltd. (Kaidi). 

SNR Denton announced today that it has doubled the size of its Africa network as 10 new associate firms join, giving the firm the largest footprint of any international law firm on the continent. The firm will now have a presence in 21 countries in Africa.

Attorneys from McKool Smith successfully represented Ottawa, Canada-based WiLAN Inc. in a series of closely watched patent infringement lawsuits that were resolved following jury selection on the eve of a scheduled February trial through settlement and license agreements with many of the world’s leading technology providers.

International law firm Faegre & Benson LLP has advised existing client FleetCor, a leading independent global provider of specialised payment products and services, on a 10-year, €300 million (£253 million) contract to support Shell’s Commercial Fleet fuel cards programme in Europe and Asia. The deal involves FleetCor teaming up with Logica, a leading business and technology service company, to deliver the service to Shell.

The Gloucestershire-based company, Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd, has been convicted of corporate manslaughter in the first trial to test the new Corporate Manslaughter Act and to successfully convict a company without the need to also prosecute the company director, Mr Eaton. The company was sentenced on Thursday 17 February, and has been fined £385,000 payable over 10 years.  In his sentencing remarks Mr Justice Field who heard the case, commented that he was aware a fine of this size was likely to put the company into liquidation but that the fine he imposed must be fit for the level of gravity of the offence and send a clear message to the industry.